Post subject: Guess the record to make the playoffs? I think 5-1 playoffs!

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:12 am

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Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 7:02 pmPosts: 6601Location: Indianapolis IN

Looking at the schedule considering the falcon's are 6-4 team all is not lost.I am trying to be optimistic I know its hard after today. It is very possible the Falcons can go 5-1 which is the record I think we'll need to at least get a wild card. Four of the games are away the other 2 in the georgia dome. I am thinking we are going to lose to Carolina in Carolina.You know sooner or later Carolina now that they are pretty much healthy is going to beat the Falcon's so I'll give them one victory.The other games the Falcon's are going to need to run the table.Lets look at the remaining schedule!

1. at Detroit - after 2 losses in a row I think it is time to give off the mat and show some life and get back in the playoff race.Detroit always plays good during thanksgiving but I think the Falcon's bounce back here. 2.at Carolina - I know we have won in the past here but I will give this game to Carolina they are due to beat the Falcon's.If some how we could pul this game out I like our chances that much more to get either the divsion or wildcard. 3.New Orleans - I know New Orleans can play us tough and would like nothing better than to knocl the falcons out of the playoffs but with the crowd and playoffs on the line I think the Falcon's puill it out if not a blow out. 4.At Chicago - this is going to be one tough game to win.The Bears have an intimidating defense and if you remember a few yrs ago Ulracher reeked havoc on the Falcon's.It will be cold and could effect vick's throwing.I just hope we can payback the Bears since we lost to them a few yrs ago in the dome. If our defense can some how get its act together the Bears are playing a rookie QB and maybe the Falcon defensive schemes will confuse the young QB.It didn't against Carolina but we can't afford another loss. 5.at Tampa Bay - the revenge game and my hope is the offense plays like it did in the second half and puts up big numbers and maybe use Duckett more. We need to beat Tamap by more than 3 pts if we are tied for the division lead to win it I believe.Last yr we lost 27-0 in Tampa 6.Carolina - this game could be for all the marbles either a wild card or division title.I think the crowd will have the Falcon's sky high if the falcon's are still in the race.We match up well with Carolina but they scare me since when they are on can play tough defense and pass plus run the ball.

Overall I think we need to go 5-1 to make the playoffs.Teams will be knocking each other off and if the Falcon's are a playoff team the Falcon's hold the key to there own destiny.Beat the teams you must or be ousted by better teams. I know it is hard being confident seeing the defense gets shredded butmaybe some miracle can happen and solve some of the problems to give the offense enough so beat other teams.

_________________Sometimes running the Mularkey offense makes me feel like I'm in a prison.

I share your optimism. I see the key as making the opponents 1 dimensional on offense (and not shooting ourselves in the foot while we have the ball).

I think that Atlanta can do this to Detroit and Carolina. I have enough faith in the offense to outshoot a one dimensional team (even against Carolina's uber-receiver passing attack).

I worry more about Chicago's rushing attack. And playing Tampa in Tampa. Their D is tenacious enough without the homefield lifting them up. Atlanta will need some deep plays there (will have to be with extra pass protection)

It's possible. But the Falcons definitely are not where they want to be right now.

Looking at the Tampa Bay and Carolina schedules they are going to be in for a tough road as well. Look at Carolina's schedule probably a win vs Buffalo, a win vs the falcons is not a gimme but lets say a win by a narrow margin, lets hope tampa beats carolina the second time around...now they are 2-1.. New Orleans another win, Dallas will be fighting for their life I predict a dallas win 3-2 and the falcons beat carolina 3-3 ..even if dallas doesn't win the falcons then would have to sweep carolina a tall task it can be done.

Tampa plays the following Chicago a tough game I will predict a Tampa win since it is at home, beat new orleans they are 2-0 , beat carolina 3-0, lose to the patriots 3-1, lose to atlanta 3-2 and beat new orleans 4-2

If the falcons finish 5-1 and beat tampa by more than 3 points they would win the division.It isn't over till the fat lady sings but the defense some how needs to get its act together.

_________________Sometimes running the Mularkey offense makes me feel like I'm in a prison.

I don't see Atlanta doing any better then 4-2 to close the season out. I'm even wondering if the playoffs are a stretch. The million dollar question is how well the following teams play to close the season: New York, Dallas, Tampa, Carolina.

For the Falcons this is how I see it playing out....

@Detroit: I think this could very well be a loss. Somehow the Lions always figure out a way to beat us in recent years. All their receivers are healthy and our only saving grace is that Joey still hasn't figured things out. But after the game we played against Tampa I don't think there is much juice to pull out the W in Detroit on a short week (Loss, 6-5).

@Carolina: This is a hard one to call but Atlanta will have nearly 1.5 weeks to prepare for Carolina and they will be coming off two tough north games (Bears & Bills). I actually believe we can knock off Carolina in their house. It seems we are a better road team this year for some odd reason (Win, 7-5).

New Orleans: I honestly don't see how we lose this game. The Saints are injury ravaged and homeless while playing pretty bad (despite keeping pace with New England). It's also Monday Night which for the most part is Vick's favorite time to play (Win, 8-5).

@Chicago: One the road in the very cold Chicago. Ontop of that Chicago is on a tear and they dropped Carolina hard in their house. If their defense keeps hitting on all cylinders and they get good runningback play they can beat us. I'd like to keep hope alive but I think this is a loss (Loss, 8-6).

@Tampa Bay: We should have beat Tampa in our last meeting. If the Bucs play like they did this week on Christmas Eve we should be them. The only way Atlanta drops this game is if we outplay our selves much like we did for 2 quarters in Atlanta (Win, 9-6).

Carolina: At this point I'm guessing Carolina will be about 10-5 (at best 11-4). We own Carolina but we also can't win big games. Even with it being in our house I think Carolina leaves the dome with a win against us. Unless Vick goes crazy both passing and rushing (Loss, 9-7).

My best guess for the remainder of this year and how the teams I mentioned at the beginning of this thread will play out:

New York: 12-4Carolina: 11-5Tampa: 11-5Atlanta: 9-6Dallas: 9-6

I believe that Atlanta edges out Dallas for the second wild card setting up a playoff run. Of course Atlanta could also drop the last three games of the season and we end up 8-8 and fade out of the playoff race. The thing that distresses me is that Vick's passing is getting much better but the defense is getting much worse. There is no excuse for Atlanta to lose against Tampa after the numbers we posted. This defense needs to be torn apart and taken from scratch this off-season.

I This defense needs to be torn apart and taken from scratch this off-season.

that's pretty drastic man. if we had not made any changes from last year i think we'd be in good shape this year. ed jasper and chris draft obviously were very under appreciated. we don't need the number one D, just a very good one. and ur right about us making the playoffs, at this point it could go either way. it looks like that record of back to back winning seasons isn't out of the way just yet. our D is just too soft up the middle and in the secondary. no hard hitters. i think that's why they played ronnie heard instead of webster. u get the feeling that a lot of these guys would shatter upon a hard hit.

Ed Jasper we might be missing but Chris Draft was middle of the pack and constantly got lost in traffic. You could have also added Brady Smith & Kevin Mathis to that list as one hasn't made any contributions and the other is out for the year (Hartwell too for that matter).

Maybe it will improve next year but this defense is about 20th in the league in points allowed (20 PPG). So the bend but don't break philosophy is breaking.

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